Method of and apparatus for arresting combustion



1. M. BOYLE. I METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR ARREISTING COMBUSTION.

\. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15,1919.

" Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

Till/Hin Inventor A l #fun-laas@ y .see-Fiss EXTINGUISHeae,

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. BOYLE, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF .AND APPARATUS FOR ARRESTING COMBUSTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

Application led December 16, 1919. Serial No. 345,180.

,piled upfmaterials suchwausglaiwnswand coal.

One object df`the`iniiition is to perlfltwthe `/\'*`pilirg up or storing of the material in which l spontaneous combustion is likely to occur in such a manner that a rise of temperature within the piled mass will effect the release therein of a supply of combustion arresting fluid which will then percolate through the mass in such a manner as to displace therefrom other gases as oxygen which serve to promote combustion.

One form of apparatus embodying my invention and also adapted to carry into effect the improved method of forming part of my invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying the present specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view partly in central longitudinal section illustrating one form of a container for non-combustible fluid under pressure,

Figure 2, represents diagrammatically in plan a proposed arrangement of fluid containers in a pile of coal or other combustible material, and

Figure 3, a side elevation of the arrangement of containers shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, apparatus embodying my invention may include a metallic container, as the cylinder 1, provided at one end with a lug forming a ring 2 to' which a chain 3 may be attached. At the opposite end, the container 1 may be provided with a threaded opening adapted to receive a suitable nozzle 4, said nozzle having a discharge opening 5 at one end, said opening being of relatively smaller diameter than the normal interior bore of the nozzle, the tapering of said bore being intended to provide a more effective means for securely retaining a plug 6 of meltable material in nozzle closing position when the container is charged with a fluid under high pressure.

The nozzle is provided with means by which a non-combustible fluid or gas adapted to arrest combustion may be introduced under pressure of about 1700 to 1800 pounds and thereafter retained in the container until such time as the meltable plug 6 shall be exposed to sufficient temperature to cause it to flow .out of the aperture 5 under pressure of the imprisoned fluid. The charging portion of the nozzle may include a needle valve having a stem 7 of `such proportions that the gas may readily flow into the container and may have substantially unobstructed access to the discharge opening 5.

Suitable means may be employed to protectthe nozzle from accidental discharge or malicious tampering, said means including a housing or guard 8 having a. threaded interior portion at one end adapted to engage a corresponding threaded portion 9 on the container, said portion 9 being preferably positioned so that one end of the guard 8 may fit securely against a shoulder 10 of the container 1. The guard 8 may be provided with perforations 11 through which the liberated fluid may pass freely in all necessary directions.

To restrict the discharge flow from the container upon the melting out of the plug 6, I provide a removable partition 12 having a relatively small opening or openings 13. said partition being arranged in the bore of the nozzle to ,obstruct the passage of the fluid except through the perforation 13.

In the operation of charging the container 1, the guard 8 is removed so that access may be had to the charging valve of the nozzle. The nozzle is then connected with a source of fluid under pressure, preferably carbon dioXid or carbon tetrachlorid, said fluid being admitted through the needle valve. Previous to the operation of admitting a fluid, it is contemplated that the plug 6 will be poured or otherwise inserted into one end of the bore of the nozzle so as to obstruct the discharge opening 5. The removable partition 12 will then be inserted after which` the stem 7 of the needle valve will be placed in position to permit entrance of fluid through the valve opening. -After the operation of charging the container, the needle valve will be closed and the supply of fluid under pressure will be cut off. The guard 8 may then be secured to the container 1 in the manner above described, or in any other suitable manner.

attentes mass has never before been attempt-ed.

The method forming a part of' my invention contemplates the application of a confined inert or combustion deterring gas or fluid to the interior of a pile of material such as coal, grain, or the like. Although the combustion deterring nature of certain gases has long been recognized and in fact applied under various conditions, so far as I know, the application of such a gas and its incorporation within the pile or stored up In carrying out my method, I` prefer to make use oi' fluid or gas containers substantially of the character heretofore described, or their equivalent, and to employ these containers in sets of two or more as illustrated in Figure 2, the containers here being shown as attached to chains 3 which in turn are secured to a common ring 14: for convenience in handling.

In building up a pile of coal ior example, the operator may, from time to time, arrange within the pile a plurality oit sets of' gas containers, preferably with the containers disposed in such a manner as to be substantially equally spaced from each other throughout the pile. lVhere the stored up mass is of unusual size, it may be advisable to increase the supply of confined inert or non-combustible gas in those portions of the mass which are most susceptible to the development of spontaneous combustion. In this manner, a aile of combustible material is built up which includes spaced supplies of confined combustion deterring gas or fluid, said supplies being so confined that they may be released upon the occurrence of a predetermined degree of heat generated in t-he mass and permitted to percolate through the interior or' the pile, thus displacing or rendering ineffective the oxygen and other combustion promoting gases therein. It is contemplated that the present invention is useful not only to arrest actual incandescence, but also to prevent the increase in temperature which is the forerunner of actual combustion. Obviously, if the heat necessary to melt out the liberating plug does not develop before the pile is removed, the containers may be utilized again in another pile without further charging.

Where the storing or piling of combustible material is conducted on a large scale, the connecting of the gas containers in sets of two or three or more, is intended to facilitate expeditious placing and removal of the gas containers under ordinary practical conditions of loading and unloading. Thus, where the so-called orange peel bucket is employed in the reducing of a pile of stored up coal, the leaves of the bucket will encounter either a container or one of the connecting chains and will accordingly carry up with it from the pile the entire set of two or three or more containers as the case may be. An operator may then detach the set of' containers by a long handled hook or other apparatus adapted to engage the chains and suspend the whole set when the orange peel bucket is opened to discharge its load either into a conveyance or upon another pile. The operator may then hang the set at a convenient place from which it may be again detached for future use, or he may submerge the containers in a vessel of water or other liquid to ascertain whether or not the gas is leaking from the containers. The con` tainers may also be weighed to discover whether or not the gas supply has been re` leased. It any irregularity is discovered, the set may be put aside for the necessary attention. If it appears that the gas vplug or seal is intact, the set may be retained at any convenient place for future use or may be sent to another portion of the plant to be used again in a similar manner.

I claim as my invention:

l. The method of arresting combustion in masses of combustible materials which includes incorporating a supply of' confined combustion deterring fluid in the mass and releasing said fluid by the action of heat generated within the mass.

2. The method of arresting combustion in masses of combustible materials which includes incorporating a supply of confined combustion deterring gas in the mass and releasing said gas within the mass.

3. The method of arresting combustion in a coal pile which includes incorporating in said pile a supply of combustion deterring gas confined at normal atmospheric temperatures but releasable at predetermined higher than normal temperatures within said pile.

4. Apparatus for arresting combustion which comprises a plurality of containers for non-combustible fluid under pressure, said containers having fluid releasing means at one end and means connected to the opposite end for connecting said containers in spaced relation.

5. Apparatus for arresting combustion which comprises a plurality of containers for non-combustible fluid under pressure, said containers having fluid releasing means at one end and flexible means connected to the opposite end for securing said containers together in a set in spaced relation.

6. Apparatus for arresting combustion comprising a container for a fluid under pressure, a nozzle having a charging valve, a discharging orice, and a meltable plug in the orifice, and a housing secured to the container and enclosing the nozzle.

7 Apparatus for arresting combustion comprising a container for a fluid under pressure, a charging valve, and a discharge ir ias-FIRE EXTINGUISHERs,

orifice, and a housing secured to said container and normally enclosing the charging valve and the discharge orifice.

8. The combination of a supply of .combustible material and a closed container having therein a supply of combustion arresting iuid, said container being in heat receiving relation to interior portions of said supply of combustible material, and

10 means operable by heat to release said fluid from the container.

9. The combination of a supply of combustible material, means embedded in said supply to confine a combustion arresting Uralsmaa fluid, and heat operable means arranged in heat receiving relation to interior portions of said supply for releasing said fluid.

10. The combination ol' a supply o combustible material, and a confined supply of combustion arresting fluid embedded in and supported by said supply of material and heat operable Huid confining means in heat receiving relation to interior portions of said material.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication this 12th day of December, 1919.

JAMES M. BOYLE. 

